Little Women eBook

“He does very well, for a boy,” was Meg’s
somewhat ungracious answer, for the subject did not
interest her.

Dr. Bangs came, said Beth had symptoms of the fever,
but he thought she would have it lightly, though he
looked sober over the Hummel story. Amy was
ordered off at once, and provided with something to
ward off danger, she departed in great state, with
Jo and Laurie as escort.

Aunt March received them with her usual hospitality.

“What do you want now?” she asked, looking
sharply over her spectacles, while the parrot, sitting
on the back of her chair, called out . . .

“Go away. No boys allowed here.”

Laurie retired to the window, and Jo told her story.

“No more than I expected, if you are allowed
to go poking about among poor folks. Amy can
stay and make herself useful if she isn’t sick,
which I’ve no doubt she will be, looks like
it now. Don’t cry, child, it worries me
to hear people sniff.”

Amy was on the point of crying, but Laurie slyly pulled
the parrot’s tail, which caused Polly to utter
an astonished croak and call out, “Bless my
boots!” in such a funny way, that she laughed
instead.

“What do you hear from your mother?” asked
the old lady gruffly.

“Father is much better,” replied Jo, trying
to keep sober.

“Oh, is he? Well, that won’t last
long, I fancy. March never had any stamina,”
was the cheerful reply.

“Ha, ha! Never say die, take a pinch of
snuff, goodbye, goodbye!” squalled Polly, dancing
on her perch, and clawing at the old lady’s
cap as Laurie tweaked him in the rear.

“Hold your tongue, you disrespectful old bird!
And, Jo, you’d better go at once. It
isn’t proper to be gadding about so late with
a rattlepated boy like . . .”

“Hold your tongue, you disrespectful old bird!”
cried Polly, tumbling off the chair with a bounce,
and running to peck the ‘rattlepated’
boy, who was shaking with laughter at the last speech.

“I don’t think I can bear it, but I’ll
try,” thought Amy, as she was left alone with
Aunt March.

“Get along, you fright!” screamed Polly,
and at that rude speech Amy could not restrain a sniff.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

DARK DAYS

Beth did have the fever, and was much sicker than
anyone but Hannah and the doctor suspected.
The girls knew nothing about illness, and Mr. Laurence
was not allowed to see her, so Hannah had everything
her own way, and busy Dr. Bangs did his best, but left
a good deal to the excellent nurse. Meg stayed
at home, lest she should infect the Kings, and kept
house, feeling very anxious and a little guilty when
she wrote letters in which no mention was made of
Beth’s illness. She could not think it
right to deceive her mother, but she had been bidden
to mind Hannah, and Hannah wouldn’t hear of
‘Mrs. March bein’ told, and worried just
for sech a trifle.’